Mazepin turns to YouTube to learn Interlagos

Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale

Friday 12 November 2021 12:30

Haas rookie Nikita Mazepin had to learn the Interlagos circuit by watching YouTube videos as he was unable to complete the simulator work before the São Paulo Grand Prix.

Mazepin’s junior career has been largely based on Europe and the Middle East, meaning Formula 1’s return to Brazil this weekend will be the Russian’s first foray into the Interlagos track surface.

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Drivers usually work the simulator for hours at the team factory or at home to get used to a new track before heading to the circuit, but Mazepin has announced that circumstances have prevented him.

His job of learning the track is made difficult by the lack of practice as he only has one session before qualifying for the third and final F1 sprint.

“I think the sprint is a great format,” said Mazepin. “I enjoyed it on the tracks that I know very well from my early racing days, Monza and Silverstone.

“Also, it makes every day a little more special to wake up knowing that you have something to struggle with and that is going to be really important.

“Where I think Brazil is a slightly different challenge, I’ve never been to this track and unfortunately haven’t done any virtual laps on this track.

“So it’s definitely a challenging track that requires more than one session to get up to speed. I think I have to deal with that.”

Urged whether he had prepared in any way on the simulator, Mazepin insisted: “Unfortunately not. I couldn’t.”

Regarding the challenge that the weekend now poses, he said: “Probably more difficult than I would like, but right now it’s just the reality.

“Hopefully that will change next year.

“If I could tell you how many YouTube videos I’ve seen from Interlagos, it’s probably more than any other circuit, so I’m ready.”